Catheter placement device and method

Abstract

An insertion tool for inserting a catheter into a body of a patient is disclosed. The insertion tool unifies needle insertion, guidewire advancement, and catheter insertion in a single device. In one embodiment, the insertion tool comprises a housing in which at least a portion of the catheter is initially disposed, a hollow needle distally extending from the housing with at least a portion of the catheter pre-disposed over the needle, and a guidewire pre-disposed within the needle. A guidewire advancement assembly is also included for selectively advancing the guidewire distally past a distal end of the needle in preparation for distal advancement of the catheter. In one embodiment a catheter advancement assembly is also included for selectively advancing the catheter into the patient. Each advancement assembly can include a slide or other actuator that enables a user to selectively advance the desired component.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A catheter insertion tool for inserting a catheter into a body of a patient, comprising:
 a housing in which a portion of the catheter is initially disposed, the housing including a top housing portion and a bottom housing portion; 
 a needle distally extending from a distal end of the housing, a portion of the catheter disposed over the needle; 
 a guidewire initially disposed within the needle; 
 a guidewire advancement assembly that selectively advances a portion of the guidewire distally past the distal end of the needle; 
 a catheter advancement assembly extending between the top housing portion and the bottom housing portion for selectively advancing the catheter over the needle and the guidewire after distal extension of the guidewire; and 
 a support structure for stabilizing the needle distally extending from housing. 
 
     
     
       2. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the needle further includes a notch proximate a distal end of the needle, the notch enabling blood flashback to be observed. 
     
     
       3. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the top housing portion and the bottom housing portion are separably attached to one another, wherein the guidewire advancement assembly includes a user-actuated slide slidably attached to the top housing portion, and wherein distally sliding of the slide enables at least partial separation of the top and bottom housing portions. 
     
     
       4. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the slide of the guidewire advancement assembly is slidably attached to at least one of the top and bottom housing portions via a rail, wherein the slide is operably attached to the guidewire via a lever, the lever further including a lockout tab for preventing retraction of the slide after distal advancement of the guidewire. 
     
     
       5. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the catheter advancement assembly includes a handle slidably disposed between the top and bottom housing portions and slidable to distally advance the catheter such that the catheter and the handle can separate from the needle and the housing of the insertion tool. 
     
     
       6. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the support structure includes an interface defined by the top and bottom housings proximate the portion of the needle distally extending from the housing, wherein the handle of the catheter advancement assembly includes a needle safety component for isolating a distal tip of the needle, and wherein the handle further includes a blood control valve. 
     
     
       7. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the catheter includes a catheter tube and a hub, the hub and a proximal portion of the catheter tube being initially disposed in the housing of the insertion tool. 
     
     
       8. A catheter insertion tool for inserting a catheter into a body of a patient, comprising:
 a housing including a top housing portion slidably engaged with a bottom housing portion, the housing having disposed therein at least a hub and a proximal portion of a catheter tube of the catheter; 
 a needle attached to the top housing portion and distally extending from the housing, the needle passing through a lumen of the catheter; 
 a guidewire attached to the bottom housing portion and disposed within the needle, wherein the bottom housing portion is slidable with respect to the top housing portion to enable distal advancement of the guidewire past the distal tip of the needle when the bottom housing portion is selectively moved distally; and 
 a catheter advancement handle operably attached to the catheter and configured to distally advance the catheter over the needle after distal extension of the guidewire so as to insert a portion of the catheter within the body of the patient. 
 
     
     
       9. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a proximal end of the needle is mounted in a needle hub, the needle hub attached to the top housing portion, the needle hub including extensions that are slidably disposed in slots defined in the bottom housing portion to distal movement of the bottom housing portion relative to the top housing portion for distal advancement of the guidewire. 
     
     
       10. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the bottom housing portion includes a support structure for stabilizing the needle distally extending from the housing. 
     
     
       11. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 10 , wherein the support structure includes first and second flaps hingedly attached to the bottom housing portion, each flap received in a track defined in the top housing portion before the guidewire is distally advanced so that the flaps stabilize the needle, wherein the flaps are capable of opening after the guidewire and catheter have been distally advanced so as to enable the catheter to separate from the housing. 
     
     
       12. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the first and second flaps further define a user-actuated slide for distally advancing the guidewire. 
     
     
       13. The insertion tool as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the handle of the catheter advancement portion further includes a needle safety component that isolates a distal end of the needle when the needle is retracted from the catheter.